Preparing for the Mass of Pentecost

It is extraordinary what Luke squeezes into the opening verses of Acts – accounts of Ascension and Pentecost; descriptions of model church administration and life, and powerful (and effective) preaching – together with perhaps a joke (omitted from our reading this Sunday).

Life in the Church is most certainly not boring. It is alive and active and spirit filled.

• What are the qualities you can identify in your parish?
• What can you take pride in?
• What calls out for prayer and renewal?

First reading: Acts 2:1-11

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
1.¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, ¹⁶ “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” ¹⁸ (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹ And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

and “‘Let another take his office.’

²¹ So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” ²³ And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴ And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen ²⁵ to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2.1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Peter’s Sermon at Pentecost
¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. ¹⁵ For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷  “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
¹⁸  even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
¹⁹  And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
²⁰  the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

²¹  And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ²⁴ God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. ²⁵ For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
²⁶  therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
²⁷  For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
²⁸  You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

²⁹ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, ³¹ he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. ³² This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. ³³ Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. ³⁴ For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
³⁵  until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

³⁶ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

³⁷ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

The Fellowship of the Believers
⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photograph: Cathedral of the Spilled Blood, St Petersburg (c) 2015, Allen Morris.

Preparing for the Mass of Pentecost

The Lectionary compilers were evidently attracted to the use of this psalm for the feast of Pentecost because of how it speaks of the positive work of the (Holy) Spirit and the consequences of the (potential?) withdrawal of the Spirit.

The text, particularly when filleted down for the Lectionary, bears that interpretation but the ruah (wind, breath, spirit) of the Old Testament is not the same as the pneuma (spirit, Holy Spirit) of the New Testament, and still less that Holy Spirit expounded as third person of the Trinity in Christian doctrine.

In the psalm itself the psalmist emphasises the wonder of nature, and more specifically of creation, for all is seen as the work of God and serving the glory of God – and of humankind, privileged amongst the many recipients of the blessings of God.

In the psalm nature’s breath (ruah) seems to be that which is its own by right. It is the life spirit, and probably understood as a (merely) natural quality as opposed to the new spirit which comes from God and is supernatural. The natural spirit can be removed by God, but God is also able to imbue ‘dead’ nature with the divine breath, divine ruah, divine spirit. (vv 28, 29)

The psalmist seems to want to contrast this work of God (the Creator God of the Jewish faith) to the sorts of action of the gods of Canaanite religion (which has a cosmology in which gods do not create but – to a degree! – introduce order into a pre-existing but chaotic universe.)

The clippings of the psalm used this Sunday fail to bring to the Liturgy so much of the richness of the psalm, though they make their point. But reading it and praying with it today gives us a chance to enjoy and benefit afresh from the wondrous psalm 104 (103) in its fulness.

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103(104):1,24,29-31,34

Psalm 104 (103)

¹ Bless the Lord, O my soul!
      O Lord my God, how great you are,

      clothed in majesty and honour,
²     wrapped in light as with a robe!

   You stretch out the heavens like a tent.
³     On the waters you establish your dwelling.
      You make the clouds your chariot;
      you ride on the wings of the wind.
⁴     You make the winds your messengers,
      flame and fire your servants.

⁵ You set the earth on its foundation,
      immovable from age to age.
⁶     You wrapped it with the depths like a cloak;
      the waters stood higher than the mountains.
⁷     At your threat they took to flight;
      at the voice of your thunder they fled.

⁸ The mountains rose, the valleys descended,
      to the place which you had appointed them.
⁹     You set limits they might not pass,
      lest they return to cover the earth.

¹⁰ You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
      they flow in between the hills.
¹¹   They give drink to all the beasts of the field;
      the wild asses quench their thirst.
¹²   There the birds of heaven build their nests;
      from the branches they sing their song.

¹³   From your dwelling you water the hills;
      by your works the earth has its fill.

¹⁴   You make the grass grow for the cattle
      and plants to serve mankind’s need.
      That he may bring forth bread from the earth
¹⁵   and wine to cheer the heart;
      oil, to make faces shine,
      and bread to strengthen the heart of man.

¹⁶   The trees of the Lord drink their fill,
      the cedars he planted on Lebanon;
¹⁷   there the birds build their nests;
      on the treetop the stork has her home.
¹⁸   For the goats the lofty mountains,
      for the rabbits the rocks are a refuge.

¹⁹ You made the moon to mark the months;
      the sun knows the time for its setting.
²⁰   You spread the darkness, it is night,
      and all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
²¹   The young lions roar for their prey,
      and seek their food from God.

²²   At the rising of the sun they gather;
      and they go to lie down in their dens.
²³   Man goes forth to his work,
      to labour till evening falls.

²⁴   How many are your works, O Lord!
      In wisdom you have made them all.

      The earth is full of your creatures.

²⁵   Vast and wide is the span of the sea,
      with its creeping things past counting,
      living things great and small.
²⁶   The ships are moving there,
      and Leviathan you made to play with.

²⁷   All of these look to you
      to give them their food in due season.
²⁸   You give it, they gather it up;
      you open wide your hand, they are well filled.

²⁹   You hide your face, they are dismayed;
      you take away their breath, they die,
      returning to the dust from which they came.
³⁰   You send forth your spirit, and they are created,
      and you renew the face of the earth.

³¹   May the glory of the Lord last forever!
      May the Lord rejoice in his works!

³²   He looks on the earth and it trembles;
      he touches the mountains and they smoke.

³³   I will sing to the Lord all my life,
      sing psalms to my God while I live.

³⁴   May my thoughts be pleasing to him.
      I will rejoice in the Lord.

³⁵   Let sinners vanish from the earth,
      and the wicked exist no more.
      Bless the Lord, O my soul.

           Alleluia!

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Psalms: From The Revised Grail Psalms: A Liturgical Psalter. (c) 2010.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo (c) 2017, Allen Morris.

Preparing for the Mass of Pentecost

Paul had all sorts of problems with the Church at Corinth! Factionalism manifested itself in all sorts of ways. Factionalism which turned people in on themselves and away from Christ.

Spiritual pride afflicted some of those who possessed particular spiritual gifts – and used them to puff themselves up, rather than humbly, quietly, for the benefit of others. Others, who were rich and leisured, approved practices which favoured them above the poor and working classes. And then there were disputes about their favourite teachers and guides in the spiritual life – seemingly relegating Jesus himself to just another teacher. Then there were issues about morality…

Paul gives priority to the giver rather than to the gift; and to the good of the community, the Body, the Church, rather than to the dignity or prominence of the individual Christian.

It is remarkable that in these verses of Paul’s essentially ‘occasional’ letter, written so early in the history of the Church, we find some of the most profound teaching on Church (and elsewhere in the letter, some of the most profound teaching on the Eucharist.

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

Second reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3-7,12-13

Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.

³ Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

One Body with Many Members

¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. ¹⁹ If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, ²⁴ which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, ²⁵ that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.

The Way of Love

13.1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo Sacre Coeur, Paris (c) 2018, Allen Morris.

Preparing for the Mass of Pentecost

In our end, or at least at the end of the Easter season, we return to our beginning. On the day that we especially mark the outpouring of the Holy SPirit on the gathered Church 50 days after the first day of the week following the killing of Jesus, we remember not only his rising from the dead, but also the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

It is surely a mistake to think of the Pentecost event, or even – come to that – the Resurrection event as a one-off thing.

Each is firmly rooted in historical event and we know what is meant when we refer to the Pentecost event and even the more self-evidently diverse event(s) of Resurrection on that ‘first day of the week’.

But each is repeatable – the gifting of the Spirit in the Upper Room on the first day of the Resurrection; and 50 days later; and in the gifting of the Spirit to Samaritans who were baptised but did not receive the Spirit (Acts 8) and so on, until our own day when the Spirit is freely gifted to us in our Baptism, in our Confirmation, and renewed in our lives again and again according to our need, our mission’s need, and the Lord’s graciousness.

• For what has the Spirit of God been shared with you?
• For what new work do you seek a fresh outpouring of the Spirit?

Gospel: John 20:19-23

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

The Resurrection

20 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³ So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. ⁴ Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹ for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹ But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. ¹² And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. ¹³ They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” ¹⁴ Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

¹⁹ On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” ²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Jesus and Thomas

²⁴ Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

²⁶ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of This Book

³⁰ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo Christ appears to the Apostles. Choir screen, Notre Dames, Paris (c) 2017, Allen Morris.

Preparing for Mass on the 7th Sunday of Easter

The Acts of the Apostles – indeed its opening chapter – is full of incident. But the first reading for Mass this Sunday – taken from that first chapter – focuses on a time of quiet and waiting, of preparation.

Many of us at this present time are also waiting for the relaxing of restrictions on movement and assembly and worship – imposed to protect the health of the community.

• For what do we wait?
• For what – and how – are we preparing?

First Reading: Acts 1:12-14

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, ² until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. ³ He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

⁴ And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Ascension
⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ⁹ And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹ and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, ¹⁶ “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” ¹⁸ (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹ And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

and

“‘Let another take his office.’

²¹ So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” ²³ And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴ And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen ²⁵ to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

–

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo. The Upper Room, Mount Zion, Jerusalem. (c) 2012, Allen Morris.

Preparing for Mass on the 7th Sunday of Easter

In the verses of the Responsorial Psalm that we hear on Sunday – or use in our personal reflection while in lockdown – we hear of David’s trust, of the Psalmist’s trust, but not of the particular challenges he faces.

It is helpful to name the evils and threats that we face. It helps disempower them, and empower us. Above all – perhaps – it gives us something particular to bring to the Lord in prayer.

• What are the things we ourselves find challenging?
• What are the things we know others are finding challenging?
• What do we ask of the Lord about these things? And how might we address them ourselves?

Psalm 27 (26) 1,4,7-8

¹     Of David.

      The Lord is my light and my salvation;
      whom shall I fear?
      The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
      whom should I dread?

²     When those who do evil draw near
      to devour my flesh,
      it is they, my enemies and foes,
      who stumble and fall.

³     Though an army encamp against me,
      my heart would not fear.
      Though war break out against me,
      even then would I trust.

⁴     There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
      only this do I seek:
      to live in the house of the Lord
      all the days of my life,
      to gaze on the beauty of the Lord,
      to inquire at his temple.

⁵     For there he keeps me safe in his shelter
      in the day of evil.
      He hides me under cover of his tent;
      he sets me high upon a rock.

⁶     And now my head shall be raised
      above my foes who surround me,
      and I shall offer within his tent
      a sacrifice of joy.
      I will sing and make music for the Lord.

⁷     O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
      have mercy and answer me.
⁸     Of you my heart has spoken,
      “Seek his face.”

      It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
⁹     hide not your face from me.
      Dismiss not your servant in anger;
      you have been my help.

      Do not abandon or forsake me,
      O God, my Savior!
¹⁰   Though father and mother forsake me,
      the Lord will receive me.

¹¹   Instruct me, Lord, in your way;
      on an even path lead me
      because of my enemies.
¹²   Do not leave me to the will of my foes,
      for false witnesses rise up against me,
      and they breathe out violence.

¹³   I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness
      in the land of the living.
¹⁴   Wait for the Lord; be strong;
      be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Psalms: From The Revised Grail Psalms: A Liturgical Psalter. (c) 2010.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo. Wall drawing, Harvington Hall, Birmingham. (c) 2017, Allen Morris.

Preparing for Mass on the 7th Sunday of Easter

Peter speaks of that which he knows..

Suffering from his struggle to understand Jesus; struggle to respond more faithfully and generously to Jesus; struggle to stand up to his opponents in and out of the Church; struggle to serve the Gospel obedient to the Spirit.

His life on earth – in a sense – ends with his martyrdom in Rome; but self-evidently his example and teaching continues, and for our benefit.

He paid a price, but won such reward.

Second reading: 1 Peter 4:13-16

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

If you can have some share in the sufferings of Christ, be glad, because you will enjoy a much greater gladness when his glory is revealed. It is a blessing for you when they insult you for bearing the name of Christ, because it means that you have the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God resting on you. None of you should ever deserve to suffer for being a murderer, a thief, a criminal or an informer; but if anyone of you should suffer for being a Christian, then he is not to be ashamed of it; he should thank God that he has been called one.

Stewards of God’s Grace
4 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. ³ For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. ⁴ With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; ⁵ but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

⁷ The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. ⁸ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Suffering as a Christian
¹² Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

¹³ But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. ¹⁶ Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

¹⁷ For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

¹⁹ Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo: Cloister, Abbaye St Pierre, Moissac, France (c) 2019, Allen Morris.

Preparing for Mass on the 7th Sunday of Easter

Jesus’s prayer – of which we hear the opening in Sunday’s Gospel – is a disclosure, an explication, of the relationship of the Son to the Father, and of the Son to the disciples and to the world.

It is a prayer that is thoroughly grounded in the moment of trial and testing that awaits Jesus in his Passion, and yet the content of the prayer is completely relevant for all time because of its ontic theme – of the who and what of Jesus in his relationship with Father, Church and World.

John 17:1-11

(NB the text set for Sunday is given below in bold and in ‘quote sections’ below; the rest is the immediate biblical text from which the Lectionary text is extracted)

The High Priestly Prayer
17.1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, ² since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴ I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

⁶ “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. ⁸ For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹ I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰ All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. ¹¹ And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

¹² While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³ But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴ I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

²⁰ “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, ²³ I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. ²⁴ Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. ²⁶ I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Acknowledgements

• Translation of Scriptures: English Standard Version (c) 2001-9, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
• Commentary: (c) 2020, Allen Morris
• Photo Detail of Triptych, Ferens Gallery, Hull (c) 2019, Allen Morris.

Preparing for the Mass of the 6th Sunday of Easter

We are coming to the end of the liturgical season of Easter – and very soon will be celebrating the great feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost.

Those feasts mark the Lord’s leaving the disciples to return to our heavenly Father, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to sustain them in faith and mission.

Our first reading this summer reminds of the fruitfulness of faith in the earliest days of the Church. The sections from the chapter of the Acts of the Apostles from which the first reading is drawn also reminds of how faith and religious allegiance can be abused – by Simon Magus – and how freely faith is given to those whose hearts seek the truth.

• Where do you see faith and religion somewhat missing the point in your local community?
• Where do you see faith active and attractive?

First reading: Acts 8:5-8,14-17

8.1b And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ² Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. ³ But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria
⁴ Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

⁵ Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. ⁶ And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸ So there was much joy in that city.

Simon the Magician Believes
⁹ But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. ¹⁰ They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” ¹¹ And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

¹⁴ Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, ¹⁵ who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. ²² Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” ²⁴ And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

²⁵ Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. ²⁷ And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship ²⁸ and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” ³⁰ So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹ And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
³³  In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

³⁴ And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. ³⁶ And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” ³⁸ And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. ³⁹ And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Photograph: Descent of the Holy Spirit. St Trophime, Arles. (c) 2017, Allen Morris

Preparing for the Mass of the 6th Sunday of Easter

The verses of the psalm provided for Sunday focus on the past works of the Lord, notably the saving of the people of Israel at the Red Sea.

Omitted though are the words about the saving actions of the Lord for the psalmist and his contemporaries – tested by having ‘men ride over our heads;’ having us pass ‘through fire and through water,’ but then bring ‘us to a place of plenty’. We perhaps need these additional words as we bring the words of the Liturgy to our prayer.

We ourselves, as individuals may not have had things too bad during the present crisis – at least not yet – but the Lord’s love and protection is there for us as a people whatever the particular trials and tribulations which have tested us as individuals.

Through thick or thin, God, does reject our prayer, nor withhold from ushis merciful love.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 65(66):1-7,16,20

Psalm 66 (65)

¹     For the Choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.

      Cry out with joy to God, all the earth;
²     O sing to the glory of his name.
      O render him glorious praise.
³     Say to God, “How awesome your deeds!

      Because of the greatness of your strength,
      your enemies fawn upon you.
⁴     Before you all the earth shall bow down,
      shall sing to you, sing to your name!”

⁵     Come and see the works of God:
      awesome his deeds among the children of men.
⁶     He turned the sea into dry land;
      they passed through the river on foot.

      Let our joy, then, be in him;
⁷     he rules forever by his might.
      His eyes keep watch on the nations:
      let rebels not exalt themselves.

⁸     O peoples, bless our God;
      let the voice of his praise resound,
⁹     of the God who gave life to our souls
      and kept our feet from stumbling.

¹⁰   For you, O God, have tested us,
      you have tried us as silver is tried;
¹¹   you led us, God, into the snare;
      you laid a heavy burden on our backs.

¹²   You let men ride over our heads;
      we went through fire and through water,
      but then you brought us to a place of plenty.

¹³   Burnt offering I bring to your house;
      to you I will pay my vows,
¹⁴   the vows which my lips have uttered,
      which my mouth declared in my distress.

¹⁵   I will offer you burnt offerings of fatlings
      with the smoke of sacrificial rams.
      I will offer bullocks and goats.

¹⁶   Come and hear, all who fear God;
      I will tell what he did for my soul.

¹⁷   To him I cried aloud,
      with exaltation ready on my tongue.

¹⁸   Had I considered evil in my heart,
      the Lord would not have listened.
¹⁹   But truly God has listened;
      he has heeded the voice of my prayer.

²⁰   Blest be God, who did not reject my prayer,
      nor withhold from me his merciful love.

Early Christian carving – Crossing of the Red Sea, Musée Départemental Arles Antique. (c) 2014, Allen Morris